Unexpected visitor
by FourthHallow
Summary: JKR is really tired and wants to go to sleep. On her way to bed, she hears footsteps in her study. Who could it be?


She was indeed tired. Writing could be very stressful, she had to agree with that. Still, it brought her fame, fans and money. She mostly cared about the second thing, fans who adored her story. Yes, her seven-books-long story was famous all around the globe.

As she was ascending the stairs, longing for the warm bed, she heard footsteps. Immediatly alarmed, she looked around, hoping those footsteps were just a flicker of her imagination. But, there was it again. It sounded like someone in heavy boots was walking in her study room. She hurried to it and opened the door, fearing someone could just be looking at her scripts and drabbles, hoping to publish them somewhere and earn some easy money. However, that was not the case.

In her room stood a tall figure, probably wearing black clothes because he blended with the darkess amazingly well, facing her with his back. He stopped walking. It was obvious he was waiting for her.

»Are you... Joanne Kathleen Rowling?«, he questioned, not turning around.

»Who wants to know?« Yes, she was frightened and sounded exatcly like she felt. Not removing her eyes from the intruder, she frantically searched for the light switch. Once she found it, she was shocked at the person before her.

She knew him. But it was impossible, it couldn't be! Even before he turned around to face her and glared over his hooked nose, she knew his name, his face, his life, and even more important, his death.

»How...?«

»What should I answer you first, Rowling? How I survived the bloody snake or how I got in here, in your world?«, he teased, anger reflecting in his eyes.

»I... How did you know that I'm really me?« _Now _she was indeed scared to death. Why did she even create such an unstabe character?

»How _dare _you question my abilities, Rowling? Yes, you always underestimated me, didn't you? You created me as a brilliant potion master, a tripple agent, and still, you cold bloodedly decided to murder me after making my whole life miseralbe and pathetic? How _dare _you now, while I'm standing in your sole pressence, question your reasons of making me?«

_He really has a deadly glare, _she thought.

»Of course I do, as well as I can do Legilliency! You created me, for heaven's sake, woman, don't tell you've completely given up on me after you gathered all that glory, all that fame?«, he growled darkly. »You don't care about any of your characters, do you?«

»I do, Severus, I really do! All of you are like children to me!«, Joanne screamed back, consumed with fear and fury.

»Don't... you... _dare_... use... my... first... name!«, he spat, glaring at her. »You should thank me for casting a Muffliato over this room, otherwise we just might draw attention, and we wouldn't want that, would we?« He was sneering, obviously proud of himself.

»If you cast that, how's that I heard you walking?« _God, his sneer is exactly as I imagined it!, _she thought.

»Any spell I cast won't affect you, because you did give us all life, no matter how pathetic it might've been. You should be thrilled with that revelation, because curses wouldn't affect you either.«, he scowled. »And if you love your characters so much, why did you end up killing so many of them?«

»I had to, Sev.«

»Don't you...!«

»I will, because you said you can't hurt me, didn't you?« Now it was her turn to sneer. »See? You underestimated yourself, giving away such a big piece of information, now I feel free to do and say what I want and you can't do a thing about it.«

»I can't?«, he laughed. »I never said I can't _strangle _you, for example. Or stab you with a knife for cutting ingrediences which I always carry with me, or even better, poison you, because in the end, I _am _the potions master...«

»You wouldn't...?«

»I couldn't do that either, much to my disspleasure.« Frowning, he continued. »You already took the liberty of doing what you want, as evident in your... _works._ Though I have to admit, I'm more than glad you killed Black. He deserved it...«, he smirked.

»He was one of my favourite characters too, you see? And he, just like you, got killed.«

»Are you blind, woman? I am _not _dead, no matter what you say to your fans or press.« Thriumph glinted in his dark eyes as he talked.

»Still, I don't understand, how did you survive?« She really was interested in his side of the story. Fascinated, to be honest.

»You never said I was dead. It's not how I survived, it's how you can't prove I did not.«, he sneered again. »You made Potter and his friends leave without checking if I was still breathing. They didn't even check my pulse! It really was very stupid, but they are Gryffindors, so it was expected... Except Granger! That girl is smart enough to think of saving me, but no, you made her leave too. When you say ˝he moved no more˝, it might as well look like a person fainted.«

He sat on her chair, breaking eye contact with Joanne.

»What do you mean that I can't prove you died?« Puzzled, she hoped he'll answer.

»Only the Dark Lord said he killed me, and even he left the room before my so-called-death. Potter never said he didn't, but neither he said that I really got killed. Poor fool kept on about my true loyalities. I still can't believe how you actually made him beat the Dark Lord...« Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself. »Has it ever occured to you how no one said anything about my body laying in that Shack? And why the Shriecking Shack, for heaven's sake, wasn't it enough I almost died there once years ago? You really enjoy torturing people...«

»Sorry... They changed that in the movie, you know? They replaced the Shack with...«

»Boats and that pathetic glass house. I know. I'm a bloody bookworm, I do make researches before I go somewhere. Even when I travel in some other God forsaken dimension.« Opening his eyes, he absentmindedly reached with his hand and touched his neck. Though he wore his usual clothes, Joanne knew there was that wound. Wound _she _inflicted.

»And what about Harry talking to his son? He said you were the bravest man he ever knew. That sounds prettie much like you were already dead...« No. He died. There was no way she's gonna give up on that fact. After saying so much things to the press and fans regarding his death, it was inevitable for him to be dead.

»It does?«, he smirked. »Not to me, and not to other people who were smart enough to find those holes, you know. Who'd say this, Rowling, perhaps you're not so brilliant at all. Perhaps you indeed belong to Hufflepuffs...«

»What's wrong with...?« Yes, she was offended. Even if an online quiz placed her in that house did not mean she was stupid. Who ever said Hufflepuffs were stupid, anyway?

»Them?«, he cut in. »Nothing. Only the fact Slytherins are better. Remember, no me, no Potter. How many times did I save that prick? Million times! And I take back that you're a Huffepuff. They're supossed to be loyal, and that's something what you'r not. Not loyal to your character's personalities and traits, that is. You're a bloody muggle!«

Before she started to rage for that insult, because it was her who invented that term after all, he continued.

»I'm the head of Slytherin's house, its symbol is a bloody snake. It's impossible for me to _die _from a snake bite, Rowling, just impossible. Don't you remember my first lesson to Potter. What's bezoar? What was written in my potion's book for sixth year? Shove it down the throat, or something like that, wasn't it? I am a potions master, one of a kind, you think I'd be close to the Dark Lord and that bloody snake of his without any antidote? When you're living in constant fear you'll be discovered, you are prepared for your death!«

»So, I underestimated you! How could I know that something was happening in that world without my knowledge?« Wait, how _was _that possible? How many other things have happened and she has no idea of them?

»Not just that! You wanted to kill Weasley, didn't you?« It was clear that he was enjoying this.

»I killed him...!«

»Not Fred, woman! He was just another example of the bad treatment of your characters, so called _children._ I'm talking about his father! In Potter's fifth year! He survived, though he was bitten with, how much was it, _three bites? _His ribs were _shattered! _And he waited for help only longer than half and hour, maybe even longer than an hour. I was condemed to die after how long... 30 bloody seconds!«

»You're alive, what are you complaining about!« He had a point, and she knew it. »Now, if you would care, do you mind explaining me how on earth did you end up in this world?«

»Time turner.« It sounded like it needed no more explanations. However, she needed.

»It turns time, not space _and _time plus dimensions!« It had no sence...

»If in hands of a brilliant mind like mine, it can be converted to other uses. In search for a universe

where she existed, I decided to play with it. You can think of my shock when I found myself in this world, in front of a bookstore that held, not one, _seven_ bloody books with Potter's name on them, and some ather aditions. Pathetic. Even worse, it had another name on the covers. Your name! You know what, Rowling? Once I'll finish this conversation with you, I'm going to find a way to my Lily, even if I'll have to use the Resurrection stone in the end. Indeed, thanks to your books, now I know everything about Potter and his wherabouts after he left me _bleeding to death_! I thought I've gone mad when I saw him victorious over the Dark Lord, especially when Dumbledore told me he was supossed to die as the last Horcrux.«

»You are really brilliant! But you must admit, I created you!« He was her favourite character after all.

»You merely _shaped _me! Do you know that feeling when you sit down and start writing, and it feels like the characters itself are creating the story? I know you do, Rowling, don't deny it. You did give me life, if that can be called a life at all.«, he sneered. She was quite annoyed with his sneering, he was doing that to often. »It is not a satisfaction that Potter named one of his boys after me either. Do you know he ended up in Slytherin and that he's brilliant in potions? I even caught him correcting some things in the book. A new Half Blood Prince, only almost pure blooded, don't you think?«

»Blood never mattered to you.«

»True. And, it was completely out of character for me to insult my Lily that time. You destroyed me.« A single tear formed in his eyes, but was gone with a blink.

»I'm so sorry, Severus, I really am. If I ever knew it was all real, I would make it different...«

»You wouldn't. You would never believe it.«

»True.«

They waited in silence for a few minutes, waiting for the other one to speak.

»I know how you could make it all easier for me, though.« Finally, he broke the silence, smirking. »Tell them. Tell your fans about my death. I said I've done some researching. Are you aware some of the readers were crying their eyes out over my death? Some were really grieveing. I think that more people love me in this world where I don't exist, than in the world where I'm real.«

»They realy love you, it's true.« She smiled and walked closer to him. »You should see some things they write, it's called...«

»Fanfiction. I know. For the last time, I've done some...«

»Not some. You've done a lot of research.« Not quite aware of her doings, she embraced Severus, completely ignoring the fact he looked shocked with her doings. »I hope you haven't read them, some authors are prettie sick...«

»Not as sick as you and your character's deaths. And I've read some of them. Mental images will haunt me in my dreams as much as Nagini, if not even more...« He rubbed his temples with his fingers.

»You've seen some weird shipping, haven't you?«

»Don't! Don't mention that, please...« He sounded awful, like he was begging.

»Hush, hush, Sev. Begging is out of your character.« She smirked when she noticed his lips twich into a half smile. »I promise you, you'll find Lily. And the fans will hear about your survival. So you had bezoar in your pocket, didn't you?«

»In fact, I did. Simple ideas are the best ideas, aren't they?«

»Indeed.« She smiled. »I'm glad I met you.«

»You should be. Not every day you meet a headmaster of Hogwarts who is defieing space and time to find his loved one and finds its creator instead.«

»True, true. Well, it was a pleasure, headmaster.« She let him go from a hug and held out her hand, hoping he'll accept the handshake. He did.

»Don't forget to tell the fans, I don't want to be responsible for any more deaths...«

»I won't forget, headmaster.«, she said through laughter.

After letting go of her hand, he tugged out a silver chain with abridged time turner on it.

»You would be in all four houses, Joanne. A complete master of all. Only I would be above.«, he smirked.

»How does it work?«

»Turner? No idea. I just think of a place or time I want to visit.«

»What did you think before you appeared in this world?«

»Something like, _please, let me meet her. _I'll be more precise in the future.«, he smirked. »Not that I regret this our meeting. Not at all. Goodbye, Joanne.«

Before she said anything, her most beloved character disappeared before her eyes.

In next few days there was an eruption of laughter and cheers from fans as they heard of real fate of Severus Snape. When they asked her what made her change her mind, she just grinned and answered simply: »An unexpected visitor in the middle of the night.«

Only true fans recognized who was she talking about. They were grateful for justice that has been done, not even knowing that in some other dimension, Severus Snape held Lily Evans in tight embrace, smile across his face.

After more than 40 years, he was happy again.


End file.
